Many disease states are characterized by differences in the expression levels of various genes either through changes in the copy number of the genetic DNA or through changes in levels of transcription (e.g. through control of initiation, provision of RNA precursors, RNA processing, etc.) of particular genes. For example, losses and gains of genetic material play an important role in malignant transformation and progression. These gains and losses are thought to be “driven” by at least two kinds of genes. Oncogenes are positive regulators of tumorgenesis, while tumor suppressor genes are negative regulators of tumorgenesis (Marshall, Cell, 64: 313-326 (1991); Weinberg, Science, 254: 1138-1146 (1991)). Therefore, one mechanism of activating unregulated growth is to increase the number of genes coding for oncogene proteins or to increase the level of expression of these oncogenes (e.g. in response to cellular or environmental changes), and another is to lose genetic material or to decrease the level of expression of genes that code for tumor suppressors. This model is supported by the losses and gains of genetic material associated with glioma progression (Mikkelson et al. J. Cellular Biochm. 46: 3-8 (1991)). Thus, changes in the expression (transcription) levels of particular genes (e.g. oncogenes or tumor suppressors), serve as signposts for the presence and progression of various cancers.
Similarly, control of the cell cycle and cell development, as well as diseases, are characterized by the variations in the transcription levels of particular genes. Thus, for example, a viral infection is often characterized by the elevated expression of genes of the particular virus. For example, outbreaks of Herpes simplex, Epstein-Barr virus infections (e.g. infectious mononucleosis), cytomegalovirus, Varicella-zoster virus infections, parvovirus infections, human papillomavirus infections, etc. are all characterized by elevated expression of various genes present in the respective virus. Detection of elevated expression levels of characteristic viral genes provides an effective diagnostic of the disease state. In particular, viruses such as herpes simplex, enter quiescent states for periods of time only to erupt in brief periods of rapid replication. Detection of expression levels of characteristic viral genes allows detection of such active proliferative (and presumably infective) states.
Oligonucleotide probes have long been used to detect complementary nucleic acid sequences in a nucleic acid of interest (the “target” nucleic acid) and have been used to detect expression of particular genes (e.g., a Northern Blot). In some assay formats, the oligonucleotide probe is tethered, i.e., by covalent attachment, to a solid support, and arrays of oligonucleotide probes immobilized on solid supports have been used to detect specific nucleic acid sequences in a target nucleic acid. See, e.g., PCT patent publication Nos. WO 89/10977 and 89/11548. Others have proposed the use of large numbers of oligonucleotide probes to provide the complete nucleic acid sequence of a target nucleic acid but failed to provide an enabling method for using arrays of immobilized probes for this purpose. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,202,231 and 5,002,867 and PCT patent publication No. WO 93/17126.
The use of “traditional” hybridization protocols for monitoring or quantifying gene expression is problematic. For example two or more gene products of approximately the same molecular weight will prove difficult or impossible to distinguish in a Northern blot because they are not readily separated by electrophoretic methods. Similarly, as hybridization efficiency and cross-reactivity varies with the particular subsequence (region) of a gene being probed it is difficult to obtain an accurate and reliable measure of gene expression with one, or even a few, probes to the target gene.
The development of VLSIPS™ technology provided methods for synthesizing arrays of many different oligonucleotide probes that occupy a very small surface area. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,854 and PCT patent publication No. WO 90/15070. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/082,937, filed Jun. 25, 1993, describes methods for making arrays of oligonucleotide probes that can be used to provide the complete sequence of a target nucleic acid and to detect the presence of a nucleic acid containing a specific nucleotide sequence.
Prior to the present invention, however, it was unknown that high density oligonucleotide arrays could be used to reliably monitor message levels of a multiplicity of preselected genes in the presence of a large abundance of other (non-target) nucleic acids (e.g., in a cDNA library, DNA reverse transcribed from an mRNA, mRNA used directly or amplified, or polymerized from a DNA template). In addition, the prior art provided no rapid and effective method for identifying a set of oligonucleotide probes that maximize specific hybridization efficacy while minimizing cross-reactivity nor of using hybridization patterns (in particular hybridization patterns of a multiplicity of oligonucleotide probes in which multiple oligonucleotide probes are directed to each target nucleic acid) for quantification of target nucleic acid concentrations.